Space Station Stage 5A
Welcome to Spaceflight Now's comprehensive coverage of the international space station, its first full-time crew and plans for the next shuttle assembly mission, flight STS-98/ISS-5A. NASA refers to STS-98 and the Expedition One crew's on-going work as "Stage 5A" in the space station assembly matrix. This page incorporates that approach. We will post data on upcoming shuttle assembly flights as each stage is completed. E-mail us your comments, suggestions and corrections!
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Top Stories |
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Freighter brings supplies to international space station
The Russian Progress M-44 cargo ship docked successfully with the international space station Wednesday at 0950 GMT (4:50 a.m. EST), delivering equipment and supplies for the outpost's current and future residents.
 MISSION STATUS CENTER
GRAPHIC SHOWS APPROACH BY PROGRESS
DETAILED DOCKING TIMELINE
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Space station residents reposition Soyuz craft
The three-man Expedition One crew living aboard the international space station departed the orbiting outpost for a short time Saturday to move their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
SOYUZ RELOCATION TIMELINE
GRAPHIC SHOWING SOYUZ MOVE
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Atlantis takes detour to Mojave Desert landing
Running two days late, the shuttle Atlantis dropped out of a cloudy Mojave Desert sky and glided to a smooth landing Tuesday at Edwards Air Force Base to wrap up an extended space station assembly
flight.
FULL STORY
DETAILED ENTRY TIMELINE
LANDING GROUND TRACK
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Weather forces Atlantis to remain in space again
For the second day running, unacceptable weather at Kennedy Space Center caused NASA to scrap plans to bring space shuttle Atlantis back to Earth on Monday. The shuttle will remain in orbit for another 24 hours and hope for better conditions in Florida on Tuesday.
FULL STORY
LANDING PREVIEW STORY
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High winds keep shuttle Atlantis in space till Monday
High crosswinds at the Kennedy Space Center blocked two back-to-back landing attempts by shuttle Atlantis Sunday and forced entry flight director Leroy Cain to extend the mission by one day in hopes of better weather Monday.
FULL STORY
EARLIER STORY
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Atlantis departs station after flawless lab delivery
The shuttle Atlantis undocked from the international space station Friday, leaving the outpost behind with a new $1.4 billion laboratory module and some 3,000 pounds of equipment and supplies.
FULL STORY
PREVIEW STORY
VIDEO: ANIMATION OF UNDOCKING
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Lab outfitting completed in 100th U.S. spacewalk
Two shuttle astronauts completed the 100th spacewalk in American space history Wednesday, finishing up work to outfit the international space station and testing rescue techniques that one day could save an injured astronaut's life.
FULL STORY
DETAILED SPACEWALK TIMELINE
VIDEO: SPACEWALK PREVIEW
NASA SPACEWALK STATISTICS
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Space station gyros spin up in successful test
Computers in the newly installed $1.4 billion Destiny laboratory module began controlling the international space station's orientation for the first time Tuesday, spinning up four massive, fuel-saving gyroscopes in a critical milestone for the orbiting complex.
FULL STORY
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Astronauts sail through 2nd successful spacewalk
The Atlantis astronauts staged a near-perfect spacewalk Monday, connecting a shuttle docking port to the $1.4 billion Destiny laboratory module, installing a mounting fixture for a new robot arm and opening the lab's picture window on the world.
FULL STORY
VIDEO: SPACEWALK PREVIEW
DETAILED SPACEWALK TIMELINE
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Shuttle docking port to be added to Destiny Monday
Atlantis' spacewalking astronauts Tom Jones and Bob Curbeam plan to step outside the shuttle again on Monday to lend a hand attaching a cone-shaped docking port to the newly-installed Destiny lab.
FULL STORY
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NASA delighted by smooth lab activation
The Atlantis astronauts and the international space station's three-man crew floated into the $1.4 billion Destiny module for the first time Sunday and sailed through the new laboratory's initial activation and check out.
FULL STORY
PHOTO: DESTINY'S HATCH OPENS
PHOTO: CREWS INSIDE LAB
PHOTO: MARSHA & HAIR ENTER LAB
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Destiny lab to welcome first astronauts aboard today
One day after the 16-ton U.S. module Destiny was firmly joined to the orbiting international space station, today will mark the moment of truth as astronauts will finally float inside the lab and bring it to life.
FULL STORY
UPDATED FLIGHT-DAY FIVE TIMELINE
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Space station meets its 'Destiny' as lab comes alive
The $1.38 billion centerpiece of the international space station -- the U.S. Destiny laboratory -- was mounted to the orbiting outpost Saturday in clockwork fashion by the Atlantis astronauts. The day's only hitch was a minor ammonia leak while connecting cooling to the module during the spacewalk.
MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates
PREVIEW STORY
VIDEO: AMMONIA CLEAN UP
VIDEO: SPACEWALK PREVIEW
PHOTO: LAB ATTACHED
DETAILED SPACEWALK TIMELINE
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Atlantis arrives at space station to deliver Destiny
The Atlantis astronauts were welcomed aboard the international
space station Friday after a flawless docking that sets the stage for
a long-awaited spacewalk Saturday to attach a $1.4 billion lab module
that will serve as the station's main control center.
FULL STORY
DETAILED DOCKING TIMELINE
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Atlantis thunders to space
Putting on a dramatic sunset sky show, the shuttle Atlantis blasted off and rocketed away after the international space station Wednesday, carrying a $1.4 billion module that will serve as the station's main laboratory and central control center.
FULL STORY
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Mission Preview |
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Station's destiny rides on laboratory attachment
The shuttle Atlantis is set for launch Wednesday on a critical mission to deliver the $1.38 billion U.S. laboratory module, Destiny, to the international space station, finally clearing the way for the start of orbital research later this year. Read our comprehensive six-part mission preview report.
FULL STORY
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Recent Stories |
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Astronauts fly to Florida, countdown begins
With the five-member crew of space shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center, the launch team inside Complex 39's Firing Room 3 started the countdown on schedule Sunday night leading to liftoff at 6:11 p.m. EST (2311 GMT) on Wednesday.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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NASA opens space station science command post
The command and control center for scientific research aboard the international space station is open for business. The science command post linking Earth-bound researchers with their experiments and astronauts in orbit was commissioned Friday during ceremonies at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
FULL STORY [Posted: Feb. 4]
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Space station Alpha crew gears up for shuttle visit
An instrument used to measure the electrical charge that builds up on the international space station as it plows through the tenuous extreme upper atmosphere indicates spacewalking construction workers need not fear potentially dangerous discharges.
FULL STORY [Posted: Feb. 1]
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NASA settles on new space shuttle launch schedule
As expected, NASA managers today agreed on a revised near-term shuttle launch schedule, delaying the next flight one day to Feb. 7 and the flight after that from March 1 to March 8. Other downstream flights face delays of several weeks and two space station crew rotation missions are under review.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 25]
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Alpha astronauts busy but comfortable on station
Despite a relentless work schedule, the Alpha astronauts say life on board the international space station is improving and while they miss the comforts of home, all three crew members say they would be happy to extend their stay if necessary.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 24]
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Space shuttle launch schedule under review
NASA managers are assessing a revised shuttle launch schedule that
delays two space station assembly flights by several weeks and pushes
one flight by the veteran shuttle Columbia into next year.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 23]
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Shuttle Atlantis' booster wiring appears OK
No major problems were found with suspect electrical wiring in the shuttle Atlantis' twin solid-fuel boosters during weekend inspections, NASA officials said today. Assuming no other issues crop up during final review and closeout, Atlantis will be hauled back to pad 39A Thursday for launch on a space station assembly mission Feb. 6.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 22]
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Station crew faces tough schedule
An 18-day delay for the next space station assembly mission has thrown a wrench into the on-board crew's timeline, compressing an already busy schedule of work that must be completed before arrival of their replacements in early March, officials said today.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 18]
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NASA's shuttle chief defends rollback decision
Launch of the next space shuttle mission has been delayed from Friday to no earlier than Feb. 6. NASA's shuttle program manager said in the end, the launch team had little choice after problems surfaced with wiring. "I guard against the phenomena of 'go fever' like it was the plague. And you have to be very sensitive as you get closer to launch."
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 16]
AUDIO: SHEPHERD REACTS TO DELAY (70k file)
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Wiring checks delay shuttle Atlantis launch to February
On the eve of shuttle Atlantis' countdown to launch Friday, NASA managers today instead ordered engineers to haul the spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for work to test suspect wiring in the ship's booster separation system.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 15]
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Shuttle crew visits launch pad, trains for emergencies
The Atlantis astronauts reviewed emergency procedures at pad 39A Friday, fielded questions from reporters and strapped in Saturday for the final hours of a dress-rehearsal countdown. They are scheduled for blastoff January 19.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 5]
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Shuttle Atlantis arrives on seaside launch pad
After a day's delay because of computer troubles, space shuttle Atlantis made a 3.5-mile, six-hour crawl to launch pad 39A Wednesday at Kennedy Space Center. Atlantis is being prepared for blastoff later this month to carry the $1.4 billion U.S. Destiny laboratory module to the international space station.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 3]
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Computer trouble forces halt to Atlantis rollout
The shuttle Atlantis's trip from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39A was interrupted Tuesday and delayed 24 hours by a computer glitch in NASA's crawler-transporter. Atlantis is due for blastoff later this month on a space station assembly mission.
FULL STORY [Posted: Jan. 2]
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Station skipper writes poem to usher in the new year
The international space station's Exedition One commander, Bill Shepherd, has written a poem capturing his thoughts and reflections, as he and Russian shipmates, Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, usher in 2001.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 31]
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Space station residents give New Year's message
The Alpha astronauts beamed down New Year's greetings on December 29, saying "let the real space odyssey 2001 proceed." Commander William Shepherd, flight engineer Sergei Krikalev and Soyuz pilot Yuri Gidzenko fielded questions from reporters in an early morning communications session, saying they plan to mark the arrival of the new year with at least one - and probably two - special meals.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 29]
WATCH VIDEO OF CREW'S MESSAGE
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Cargo ship redocks to international space station
Cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko remotely piloted an unmanned Progress supply ship to a trouble-free manual redocking with the international space station on December 26 as the two spacecraft sailed 230 miles above Mongolia.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 26]
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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An out-of-this-world holiday greeting
The international space station crew offer the people of planet Earth greetings for the holiday season in a message from their orbiting home 235 miles up. The three men are the first residents of the new station, beginning what is planned to be a continuous human presence in space for the 21st century.
VIDEO: MESSAGE FROM EXPEDITION ONE CREW
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS REPORT SANTA SIGHTING
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Redocking of station cargo ship will be tricky affair
Russian flight controllers - and ultimately, cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko - will have overall control authority during the upcoming redocking of a Progress supply to the international space station. U.S flight controllers will only provide oversight and make a video conferencing system available.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 21]
TIMELINE OF THE REDOCKING SEQUENCE
ILLUSTRATION OF APPROACH TO STATION
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Booster repairs to delay next shuttle launch
The shuttle Atlantis' rollout to pad 39A for launch on a critical space station assembly mission will be delayed at least until January 2 to complete booster wiring repairs and to give work crews holiday time off, officials have decided. The result is Atlantis' planned January 18 liftoff will slip at least a few days.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 19]
PHOTO: NASA GETS KEY TO LAB MODULE
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U.S., Russia approve cargo ship redocking to station
NASA's mission management team formally approved a Russian proposal to redock the Progress M1-4 cargo vehicle to the international space station on Dec. 26. The primary goal of the maneuver is to test a software patch designed to correct an automatic guidance system problem that forced a manual docking last month.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 19]
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Station crew awaits spare parts for air scrubber
The international space station's air purification system is working smoothly, NASA's lead flight director said Friday. But unexpected equipment failures during the crew's first six weeks in space have left the astronauts just one failure away from a possible forced evacuation.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 16]
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Shuttle delay extends voyage of first station crew
The first expedition aboard international space station got a little longer on Wednesday when NASA announced a delay from February to March in launching space shuttle Discovery to ferry the three-man crew back to Earth.
FULL STORY [Posted: Dec. 14]
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Earlier Coverage |
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Endeavour returns to Earth with nighttime landing
The space shuttle Endeavour glided to a smooth Florida touchdown Monday evening just minutes after the international space station sailed overhead, closing out a successful flight to equip the outpost with the most powerful solar arrays ever launched.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR TOUCHES DOWN
VIDEO: ONBOARD CAMERA VIEW OF LANDING
VIDEO: LANDING IN INFRARED
TODAY'S TIMELINE LEADING TO LANDING
GROUND TRACKS
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Cosmonaut docks cargo ship in dramatic fashion
The automatic guidance system of an unmanned Progress supply ship failed during final approach late Friday, forcing cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko to take over manual control for a dramatic, remotely piloted docking with the international space station.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 18]
VIDEO: PROGRESS WILDLY GYRATES
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Related coverage |
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Building a space outpost
The crew of space shuttle Discovery carried out a complex four-spacewalk construction mission in October to mount a truss structure with gyroscopes and communications gear to the international space station and add another docking port.
FULL COVERAGE
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Zvezda module docks to space station
The international space station gently docked with the new Zvezda command module July 25 as the two spacecraft sailed high above Kazakstan, ending two years of delays and setting the stage for arrival of the lab's first permanent crew in November.
FULL STORY
LAUNCH REPORT
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See the path Atlantis would follow during landing opportunities Tuesday in our STS-98 Landing Tracker.
